UK dairy farmers pour tens of thousands of litres of milk away due to HGV driver shortage
October 7, 2021, 5:14 am

UK dairy farmers pour tens of thousands of litres of milk away due to HGV driver shortage

Milk-Bottle/Pixabay

The Sky News reported, British dairy farmers say they have poured tens of thousands of litres of milk away due to the HGV driver shortage - and fear it is just the "tip of the iceberg" ahead of winter.

It said, one fourth-generation dairy farmer in central England has been forced to dump 40,000 litres of milk over the past two months after no drivers turned up to collect it due to the HGV driver shortage.

The farmer, who preferred not to mention his name, said: "It's cutting, it's emotionally draining when you're producing milk and at the end of the day you have to pull the plug and it has to go."

The farmer said he has had to destroy four milk loads since the beginning of August and previously had only had to do it two or three times in 45 years due to bad weather.

According to the Sky News, other farmers have reported turning to "distress milk services", which are small companies set up to buy milk at lower prices and transport it to other outlets to stop it from being dumped.

It mentioned that 15.3 billion litres of milk was produced in the UK last year so the effect of supplies having to be poured down the drain or sold for less will not yet be seen in shops.

But, it shows the extent of the labour problems across the UK and follows in the footsteps of the fuel crisis and hundreds of healthy pigs being slaughtered because there are not enough abattoir workers.

Peter Alvis, chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers said, and as many dairy farmers do not make a profit on their milk, any small knocks are felt very quickly.

He said: "I don't think things with global supply chains have settled down again after the pandemic, and the shortage of HGV drivers is having quite a large impact."

Mr Alvis said milk wastage was so far limited to a few incidents, but precise data is difficult to obtain.

Rob Hunthatch, 38, runs a distress milk service rescuing milk for half its normal price and turning it into curd, which is the first stage in cheesemaking.

He said he typically only has two hours to pick up the milk after a farmer calls him before it is dumped.

In September, he saved 160,000 litres of milk in Cheshire alone - a 100,000 litre increase from the previous month - but was unable to save a further 80,000 litres.

Mr Huntbatch said: "This is only the tip of the iceberg."

"I think it will get worse - in wintertime if there's snow, drivers get slowed down, and it's going to make even more of an impact."

Milk wastage is not the only current problem facing dairy farmers, with prices for fertiliser used to grow feed rocketing, as well as natural gas and electricity.

Henry Bloxham, a Staffordshire dairy farmer, said his fertiliser prices have risen by 150% in three weeks and fuel increased by 10p a litre in the last week.

Source: skynews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.